Leader development

How does an unlikely organization go from top-down, traditional and struggling to grow to become an award-winning organization – recognized by Inc, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, among others – that works in a radically collaborative way? In mid-October 2017, we partnered with former CEO Tom Walter from Tasty Catering to tell his company’s story […]

**Contributed by Deeper Funner’s own Elephant Whisperer, Karen Dawson Comedian Jim Gaffigan grabs audience members in the middle of his stand-up routines by saying in a stage whisper what they are likely to be thinking: “Does he really eat that much bacon?” If Gaffigan saw someone reading my business card, he might whisper on their […]

Kelly Ritchey-Davoren has had unusual – and unusually successful – practice as a culture-building leader. During one period as an operations executive at The Decurion Corporation (one of the most paradigm-shifting companies you’ve never heard of), she and her teams improved critical metrics while launching 5 new locations and prototyping a new culture that unleashed […]

It’s a strange thing to say, but I’m fascinated by poverty, and why it persists in a world where so many have so much. But what really took me by surprise was when I picked up a book on poverty – and learned something that changed how I lead and live. The Ivy League authors, […]

What do Barack Obama and Albert Einstein have in common? Besides stinging intellects and “they-said-it-couldn’t-be-done-so-just-watch-me” spirits, both fill(ed) their closets with similar items to eliminate decisions about what to wear. As Obama says, it’s less disinterest in fashion, and more preoccupation with running a superpower: “I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating […]

Well, this is fun. Three years ago, Karen Dawson, Ian Prinsloo and I started experimenting with a hunch. It went something like this: A heap of smart people have spent a whole lot of time trying to crack the nut of organizational change: how do we pull it off, so we can be more [INSERT […]

Because you’re here, I know you are one. That goes for us at the Deeper Funner Change Project, too. This site is for all of us. Backstory: for the past few years, I’ve been indulging a dream. I’ve scaled back on consulting work to take a learning sabbatical and do a doctorate in organizational change. […]

In Part I, I described a situation I was triggered – and stumped – by. Many of you dove into the water to help me out, and your perspectives went well beyond what I could see in the moment. Now: truth is indeed stranger than fiction. Here’s the surprising outcome. “Do you live here?” I […]

As some of you know, I’ve spent the last few months living and working from a quiet bay on Baja’s Sea of Cortez. (If doing your dissertation literature review looks a lot like solitary confinement, why not confine yourself somewhere you can paddleboard?) But it’s not been all quiet.

Today, you might be helping a team member get over the hump in a critical project. Maybe you’re pitching to a new client. Maybe you’re dreading the weekly meeting with your leadership team, anticipating the conversation will circle around… and around… as you try to make a tough decision together. Whatever adventure you’re embarking on, […]